+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| P H O E N I X |
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GAME: PHOENIX
PLATFORM: ARCADE
GENRE: ARCADE SHOOTER
CREATOR: AMSTAR Licensed to CENTURI Copyright 1980
AUTHOR OF THIS FAQ: Kevin Butler AKA War Doc
E-MAIL: kevinb(at)technologist(dot)com
FAQ VERSION: 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION
1. Legal Stuff
2. Version Information
3. Acknowledgements
4. Welcome
5. Overview
UNIT II: GAME INFORMATION
6. The Game
6.1 The Controls
6.2 The Playing Fields
6.3 Scoring
6.4 The Waves
UNIT III: STRATEGIES
7. Playing the Game
7.1 Waves 1 and 2
7.2 Waves 3 and 4
7.3 Wave 5
UNIT IV: CONCLUSION
8. Conclusion
_______________________________________________________________________________
To find a particular chapter or subchapter do the following:
1. Highlight the chapter or subchapter name you wish to find.
2. Press CTRL-C
3. Press CTRL-F
4. Press CTRL-V
5. Press CTRL-F
5. You will arrive at the desired chapter or subchapter.
_______________________________________________________________________________
**************
********************************* U N I T I **********************************
**************
+=================+
| 1. LEGAL STUFF |============================================================
+=================+
This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advanced permission from the author. Use of this guide on
any other web sit or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and
a violation of copyright. All content in this guide is Copyright 2003 by
Kevin Butler. Only the sites listed below have permission to publish this
work or to display it:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.cheats.de
faqs.ign.com
If you wish to put this guide on your site, e-mail me and ask. Save yourself
the headache of putting up with lawsuits and whatnot because you failed to ask
a simple "Can I post your guide on <insert site>?". If you wish to use info
in this guide, please acknowledge that you have done so.
If you see this guide on any other site then the one listed above, please
e-mail me. If you wish to ask questions or give input to this guide, please
e-mail me. Just have Phoenix as the subject so I know it isn't another kooky
vendor trying to sell me hair gel or another XXX site telling me I have new
friends.
+=========================+
| 2. VERSION INFORMATION |====================================================
+=========================+
Version 1.0 11/03/03: A guide is born.
+======================+
| 3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |=======================================================
+======================+
The following are a list of people or organizations that have made this FAQ
possible:
My wonderful family (who has had to put up with the tapping on the keyboard)
Amstar for making a great arcade game
GameFAQ's for putting up this FAQ
+=============+
| 4. WELCOME |================================================================
+=============+
Welcome to my FAQ for Phoenix. Since the game has you continuously playing
through waves until all your men are killed, there is no walkthrough per se.
Instead it will be broken up into the game itself and strategies for survival.
Input is appreciated along with constructive criticism. If you wish to e-mail
me thoughts on this FAQ, better ways of doing things, other strategies, etc.,
feel free. Make sure you put Phoenix as the subject. If you don't, I'm
liable to discard the e-mail as spam.
+==============+
| 5. OVERVIEW |===============================================================
+==============+
Phoenix was a partnership game between Amstar and Centuri. Centuri tended to
partner up with other companies such as SNK for Vanguard or Tehken for
Pleiades. Amstar was a little known company who mostly produced arcade
gambling games. Unfortunately, the video game crash of the early 80's claimed
both of these companies as victims; Centuri in 1983 and Amstar in 1982. This
was another game that one played on multiple playing fields. The scoring
system was more unique in the fact it depended on things you did before you
killed an enemy. Good luck defending against the invaders.
***************
******************************** U N I T II **********************************
***************
+==============+
| 6. THE GAME |===============================================================
+==============+
Phoenix is a two-dimensional, space shooter style game. While you are out
patrolling in your sector, you run into an alien race. The race you are
tangling with are the Phoenix race. Through a series of battles, you will
eventually have to tangle with the Spacefortress. Of course, once you have
successfully beaten back these attacks, there are more enemies in the wings
waiting to eliminate you. It comes down to who has the stronger will to
survive.
____________________
/ 6.1 The Controls /__________________________________________________________
--------------------
The controls on this game are very easy. It may, though, take just a little
bit of time to get used to them.
- A left motion button
- A right motion button
- A fire button
- A shield button
__________________________
/ 6.2 The Playing Fields /____________________________________________________
--------------------------
Phoenix actually consists of three playing fields. The first two fields are
repeated so you actually will be playing on five fields. Each playing field
happens in the same exact order as the waves progress. After you make it
through wave 5, you go right back to wave 1 again. I have included an example
of what these fields look like:
+---------------+
| WAVES 1 AND 2 |
+---------------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| /\||/\ |
| \/ |
| |
| /\||/\<-PHOENIX FIGHTER |
| \/ |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | |
| |/| |\| |
| | | <-YOUR FIGHTER |
| |/|_|\| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------+
| WAVES 3 AND 4 |
+---------------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| _ _ |
| / \/\/ \ |
| //\ /\\<-PHOENIX BIRD |
| \__/ |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | |
| |/| |\| |
| | | |
| |/|_|\| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
+--------+
| WAVE 5 |
+--------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| /\||/\<-PHOENIX FIGHTER |
| \/ |
| _|_ |
| _______|__________ |
| / \ |
| / +---+ \ |
| _____/_______|_P_|<-ALIEN __\____ |
| |________________________________|<-SHIELD |
| \ / |
| \ / |
| \ / |
| \ /<-HULL |
| +-----------------------+ |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | |
| |/| |\| |
| | | |
| |/|_|\| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
You control your fighter through these five screens.
_______________
/ 6.3 Scoring /_______________________________________________________________
---------------
Scoring is a little complicated in this game due to the fact it depends on hits
made and how close the Phoenix's are to your fighter.
Phoenix fighters: 20, 40, or 80 points
Phoenix birds : 50 or 100 points/egg
100 - 800 points/bird (depends on how many wings shot off and
distance from fighter)
Spacefortress : 1,000 - 9,000 points (depends on how close the Spacefortress
is to your fighter when you kill the
alien)
You start the game with 3, 4, 5, or 6 lives. You are awarded bonus lives at
3,000 and 30,000 points, 4,000 and 40,000 points, 5,000 and 50,000 points, or
6,000 and 60,000 points.
_________________
/ 6.4 The Waves /_____________________________________________________________
-----------------
The waves in Phoenix are arranged in a specific order. After you complete
wave 5, it cycles again back to wave 1. The only difference is in some of the
scores and the enemies get faster. Below are what is in each wave:
+---------------+
| WAVES 1 AND 2 |
+---------------+
These are the Phoenix fighter waves. You will have to tangle with 16 Phoenixes
per wave.
+---------------+
| WAVES 3 AND 4 |
+---------------+
These are the Phoenix bird waves. You will have to tangle with 8 birds per
wave.
+--------+
| WAVE 5 |
+--------+
You get to deal with the Phoenix Spacefortress. In addition to the Space-
fortress, you will also have to tangle with its 12 escorts.
****************
******************************** U N I T III *********************************
****************
+======================+
| 7. PLAYING THE GAME |=======================================================
+======================+
When you start the game, your fighter will be in the middle at the bottom of
the screen. You will see a formation of enemy fighters at the top of the
screen. This is the beginning of wave 1. A quick note about the shield. It
lasts a couple of seconds and takes about five seconds to regenerate again.
_____________________
/ 7.1 Waves 1 and 2 /_________________________________________________________
---------------------
- You will usually be attacked by multiple fighters at any one time. The
movements of these fighters is pretty random.
- In addition to dropping bombs on your fighter, Phoenix fighters also tend to
try to ram your fighter.
- After you clear out a few fighters, they will reassemble at the top of the
screen. They will then move in synch with each other as they creep to the
bottom of the screen.
- Sometimes a Phoenix fighter will hover right above your ship. If you're
quick, you can get off a quick shot and move away before a bomb can be
dropped on you.
- If multiple Phoenix fighters are at your level, use the shield to clear a
path through them.
____________________
/ 7.2 Wave 3 and 4 /__________________________________________________________
--------------------
- The Phoenixes in wave 3 enter the screen in a zig-zag pattern while the
Phoenixes in wave 4 arrive in a cross-over pattern of four Phoenixes per
side.
- Once they get large, they start to do erratic zig-zag patterns across the
screen. At the same time, they are dropping bombs toward your fighter.
Your goal is to shoot off their wings. If you do this, it forces them to
go straight down until the wing regenerates. They will still be
dropping bombs, but at least they will be going straight down.
- If at all possible, try to hit the Phoenixes when they are close to your
ship. Doing this gets you more points.
- In addition, try to shoot off both wings before destroying a Phoenix for
more points.
______________
/ 7.3 Wave 5 /________________________________________________________________
--------------
- Your goal on this wave is to cut through the hull and shield and take out
the alien inside.
- Start firing as rapidly as you can to quickly cut through the hull. It will
take quite a few shots to get to the shield.
- The shield rotates so you will have to hit it a lot of times in order to get
a wide enough hole in it to hit the alien.
- As all of this is going on, the Spacefortress is continually descending upon
your ship. In addition, the escorts are constantly harassing you.
- A good strategy is that once you have cut a path through the hull and
shield, wait for the Spacefortress to be almost on top of your ship. When
you take out the alien, you will get a lot more points.
- Destroying the escorts does not end this wave.
Once you complete wave 5, the cycle begins anew.
****************
******************************** U N I T IV *********************************
****************
+================+
| 8. CONCLUSION |=============================================================
+================+
Looking at this game, it just seemed like another space shooter. Even the
demonstration play didn't negate that observation. The only thing, before
playing it, that made it look different was the fact that there were more
enemies mentioned then what the demo showed. After we started to play the
game, we realized there was much more to it then met the eye. The five waves
concept was a pretty good idea and it definitely made the game a lot more
enjoyable. The variable scoring was also interesting since it provided a
challenge to the player to get the most amount of points from objects in the
game. The Spacefortress proved to be a challenge just due to the fact that you
had to go through several layers of it to get to the alien itself. A lot of
quarters were put into this machine, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, it
is very rare to find this machine anywhere. However, through the miracle of
emulation, a whole new generation is realizing what we "old" folks enjoyed
those many years ago. In addition, www.shockwave.com is bringing many of these
classic games back. Check out their site to see what ones are there. I hope
this guide helps you in being able to get the most amount of gameplay for this
game. If you do have other ideas or thoughts, please e-mail me and share them.
Who knows, maybe I'll start a Q&A Chapter in this guide if enough people ask
the same questions. Anyway, thank you again for reading this guide.
To see other FAQ's I have written please go to:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/32691.html
~~~ No trees were harmed in the making of this FAQ ~~~